INSERT VPL SCREENSHOT / IMAGE

Note that you can click the button (or press F5) to invoke field help at any time from within the job panel itself.

Business Benefits

You may wish to group similar Charges together for Billing purposes. This program allows you to define Billing Profiles for these Charges.

Note: For related documentation and workflows, see CR - Client Related. See also Non-Standard Billing.

Usage

Use this job to set up Billing Profiles for groups of Charges.

A Billing 'profile' is a group of pre-defined Charge codes for the six different Billing actions that the system currently performs on a Lot:

• inbound handling
• inbound storage
• cross-dock handling
• outbound handling
• special storage
• recurring storage.

Rate tables allow similar Charge codes to be grouped together. Each time a new Lot is created, the system will try to automatically figure out which Charge codes to use. Or, it will ask the Operator to select the Charge code from a list of alternates.

Third-Party Billing

In the Order Entry (OE) system, you can ship to one Client but bill to another Client. Likewise, there is an option for Broker Orders; when a Broker is placing an Order, outbound Handling Charges may be billed to the Broker or to the Inventory Client.

The Third-Party Billing feature provides the ability to direct Inventory-related billing (storage and handling) to someone (a Bill-To) other than the Inventory Client for a specified period of time.

The Inventory Client is typically an Agent or Broker who brings the goods into the Distribution Center and then sells them to someone else. The Agent may have a tentative agreement with the purchaser, but the transfer of the Inventory will not take place until there is a final agreement.

In the meantime, the purchaser agrees to pick up the Distribution Center charges until the actual sale is finalized.

Another example of usage: An outside Agency (such as a railroad company) agrees to pay for some portion of the Distribution Center charges, as part of the arrangement for using the railroad (in competition with another transportation company).

Bill-To Profiles

In some cases, the Billing Profile of the Bill-To may be the same as the Billing Profile of the Client. In other cases, it may be different. Both of these cases can be addressed. When the computer generates the billing, it will

1) determine the Product Billing Profile for the Client, then

2) determine if there is a Bill-To Profile that is to be used instead.

If there are specific Charge codes associated with the Bill-To code, the computer will use them; otherwise it will use the corresponding GEN Charge
code(s).

Switch Bill-To Profiles

In some cases, the Bill-To will pick up all the Charges (handling, inbound storage, cross-dock handling, outbound handling). In other cases, the Bill-To will pick up one or more of these, while the Client picks up the rest.

Since there may be only a finite number of combinations (switching the billing from the Client to the Bill-To), these may be set up as required. You may also identify (the effective date) when the Recurring Storage is to be transferred back to the Client.

Switch Bill-To Assignment

The last step in setting up the Third-Party Billing is to attach the Switch Profile(s) to the Client, Bill-To, and Product Billing Profile.

In most cases, only one Switch Profile is required. If more than one billing arrangement needs to exist, you may identify up to five Switch Profiles; the computer will ask the Operator to select the appropriate one during Receipt entry in program RE.31 [Receipt Invoices].

For example, for Product 1, the Bill-To agrees to pick up the Storage Charges only, but for Product 2, the Bill-To will also pick up the Handling Charges. All other Products are billed to the Client. So the set-up would look like this:

 

Product	Switch Profile	Handling	Inbound Storage	X-Dock Handling	Outbound Handling
1 2 3, 4, etc.	X Y Z	C B C	B B C	C B C	C B C

This type of billing arrangement is common in some operations (those handling paper roll products, for example), but may have only specialized application in other cases. You will have to determine its usefulness for your own operation.

Receipt Temperature Blasting

When receiving or adjusting product that is temperature controlled, it may be required to take the temperature of the product to ensure that the product is maintained at the correct temperature.

The Receipt Temperature Blast option allows you to setup, by client:

• the intervals that are required to take readings
• rating rules
• extra reading requirements
• etc.

Preconditions

Charge codes must be set up in program CR.22 [Storage, Handling, Other Rates] and Charge Table codes in program CR.17 [Table of Charge Codes].

Client codes must be defined in program CR.06 [Client Names and Addresses].

Billing Schema codes are set up in program CR.14 [Storage Billing Schemas].

Subsequent Actions

Attach a default Billing profile to a Client in program CR.18 [Client Arrangements] and to each Product in program CR.62 [Client's Inventory Products].

Temperatures can be taken for new receipts in program RE.51 [Lot Temperature Reading].

Program Fields and Functions

To review a text version of the field help, click here. Click the button (or press F5) to invoke field help at any time from within the job panel itself.